Cub Tracks plays the blues

Here at CUB TRACKS NEWS AND NOTES™, we have news for you. The Kris Bryant Trade-Watch is back ON. The Sporting News is even in it. Really. Ask Scott Boras. And the Kimbrel Watch and the Javy Watch and the Chafin Watch and the Joc Watch are ON, too. WATCH THIS SPACE.

“When I was a boy, they were my pride and joy. But now they only bring fatigue. To the home of the brave, the land of the free, and the doormat of the National League...” — Steve Goodman.

We were warned it would be like this, when the expectations rose so high. But the team’s ownership kept saying that they would do what it takes to field a winner, year after year, wave after wave. When I was a boy, there were possibly three competitive seasons, and we didn’t expect more than that — no more was promised.

This is why Cub fans are mad. THEY LIED TO US AND THEY KEEP RIGHT ON LYING.

The Cubs won Friday, 10-5, and the game wasn’t that close. But disappointment still lies ahead. Enjoy the afterglow while we have it. The St Louis ‘Blues’ might still be looming.

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“We’ve believed in these guys since 2015. They’ve had a ton of success, and I would never count these guys out,” Jed Hoyer said Thursday. “But 11 days ago we were certainly fully on the ‘buy’ side of these transactions, and everyone was calling about that. And obviously people are now calling to see which players are available. So, it’s a very different scenario [than what] we expected. Life comes at you fast.”

• Ken Rosenthal, Patrick Mooney, and more (The Athletic {$}): Sources: Cubs beginning the process of becoming sellers at the trade deadline. “...the Cubs have finally picked a lane.” Michael Cerami interprets. Brett Taylor talks about what Jed talked about.
• Mark Feinsand (MLB.com*): Now ‘sellers,’ who will Cubs deal by Deadline? “Just two weeks ago, the Cubs were atop the National League Central...” Meghan Montemurro follows up.
• Jay Jaffe (Fangraphs*): The Cubs’ losing streak portends further dismantling. “We are going to have roster turnover.” Evan Altman avoids labels.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): No trade-piece protection orders, say sell-mode Cubs. “I haven’t been told that we need to protect anybody or we need to look at things like that,” manager David Ross said.
• Rick Morrissey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): All deaths are sudden, but the 2021 Cubs’ demise is one for the record books. “It took less than two weeks for the team to go from relevant to irrelevant.” Patrick Mooney has a nicer version {$}.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Justin Steele getting shot at rotation for Cubs. “We’re going to try to put him in a role where he can face the lineup a couple times, and there’s no reason he can’t do it,” Hoyer added. Tommy Birch has more. Tony Andracki has some, too.
• Max Goodman (Sports Illustrated*): Could the Yankees trade for Craig Kimbrel? “Kimbrel appears to be a likely trade candidate.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Brennen Davis looks to stand out at Futures Game. “Along with reliever Manuel Rodríguez, Davis will represent the North Siders in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on Sunday in Denver.”
• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs draft preview: ‘It’s a fun time for the organization’. I read that in Bob Pulford’s voice. “This is the first time that we’ve had our entire scouting department together since last January,” Dan Kantrovitz said this week, “so it’s definitely starting to feel real.” Sahadev Sharma has words. They’ll cost ya {$}.

Food for Thought: